I really have no choice, do I? Hadassah said. Of course you have a choice, Hadassah. We always have choices. You have no choice about obeying the king's order and going to the harem. But you can choose the spirit in which you go. You can choose to be crushed or to be strong. That choice is always open to you. Then I choose to be strong. That's what she knew Mordecai wanted to hear, and she wanted to offer it to him, as a last gift. But her throat tightened, and she could not speak. Trapped in the sensual swirl of an alien culture, her poise, beauty, and skill with the four-stringed oud caught the eye of Hegai. As she rose through the harem ranks, her true identity carefully concealed, her faith in eclipse, Esther had no inkling that the fate of a nation would hang upon her courage. Based on meticulous historical research, Trudy Morgan-Cole weaves the biblical story of Esther into secular history. Her deep narrative, involving more than 70 characters, brings to life the Zoroastrian society of ancient Persia and chronicles the known exploits and foibles of king Xerxes in authentic detail. Her amazing story shows how God turns women with common fears, struggles, and identity crises into heroines of faith.